Wait For Me
by KatyaChekov
Summary: Sousuke transfers away from Kaname. Five months later, she gets news that he has been killed in action. But is it really true? And can Sousuke get back to Kaname? ON PERMANENT HOLD.


Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Panic or any related characters. My friend wAYmOBY has generously given me full license with his character, Asaka. However, I don't own him either.

**Yes! A Full Metal Panic story at last! This story has been brewing for a while… It took forever to come up with a title for the darn thing! But thanks to KidHeart4, I came up with one, and thanks to wAYmOBY, I was introduced to Full Metal Panic in the first place. Thank you both so much. **

**Unlike my last romance, All I Want Is Another Chance, this story is not angst. It's pureromance / action-adventure. And I used the same chapter titles as the manga…I hope you don't get confused. Enjoy! **

**Wait For Me…**

**Mission One: Departure **

"You're _what_?" Kaname stared at Sousuke, unable to believe what the serious young sergeant was telling her.

"I'm being transferred, Chidori. Another guardian will be appointed to you." Sousuke looked as if he wanted to say more, but then he looked down and continued packing his bags.

Kaname spluttered, "B-but _why_?" Sousuke sighed and turned to face her.

"I…requested the transfer. It's to late now, but…" he paused, then went on, "I wish I had not done it. I feared emotional involvement might jeopardize the mission, and I didn't want you to get hurt—"

"What do you mean, 'emotional involvement'?" Kaname asked, her voice shaking. Sousuke moved closer, tilting her head up slightly so that their eyes met.She saw the answer on his face.

"I love you, Kaname." Their lips touched. Kaname gasped softly in surprise as he drew her even closer to him. The kiss seemed to last an eternity before she slapped him away. He stared at her in shock, not understanding.

"Kaname? I… Did I—"

"Shut up!" she screamed, as tears ran down her cheeks. "You went ahead and decided to leave me! Don't you have any consideration for _my_ feelings? Just…just leave!" She collapsed on the floor, unable to hold back her feelings any longer. "If you really loved me, you wouldn't break my heart like this!"

Sousuke sat down next to her, holding her tightly. "I'm so sorry, Kaname," he said quietly. "But if I had let you get hurt by the enemy by letting my guard down, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. This…this was the only way. I'm sorry." Her only reply was a choked sob as she leaned against him, seeking solace from his warmth. And in this way they passed the long hours into the night.

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Two days later, Sousuke stood on the roof of his apartment complex, his few bags at his feet, waiting for the helicopter that would deliver him to his next assignment. Kaname came up to join him, her eyes dry. She had no more tears left.

Hearing her, Sousuke whirled, his gun at the ready. "Kaname?"

"Still paranoid, eh, Sou…suke?" she said, tears starting to well up in her eyes. _Oh, God no. I told myself I wouldn't cry…_ "Don't forget…my notebook…"

They could hear helicopter blades in the distance. Time was slipping away quickly.

"Kaname." Suddenly he was there, his warm lips on her own. "I'll…I'll never forget you." His tone became more businesslike as he pulled away, trying to hide his own breaking heart. "Another officer has been assigned to you. My brother, Asaka."

"You have a brother?"

"Yes. He's…been gone for a very long time. Don't worry. He's a good soldier. He'll take good care of you and" he chuckled ruefully "he can blend in far better than I could."

"But—"

A rope fell, seemingly from the sky. Sousuke grabbed it. His voice became tender again. "Goodbye." Then he was gone.

Kaname fell to her knees, staring after him as he climbed up and disappeared. "Sousuke…" she whispered, his name softly echoing over the rooftops, broken with sorrow.

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Sousuke watched her weep as the helicopter pulled away. It wasn't until she was completely out of sight that he allowed himself to finally cry silently. He would never see her again.

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Five months later, Kaname found an envelope addressed from Sousuke's captain. She opened it with shaking hands. Sousuke hadn't written in over a month. Maybe this was an explanation.

---

Kaname Chidori:

I had hoped that I wouldn't be the one to tell you this. I had just received the letter from Sergeant Sagara's new commander. If you haven't received a copy yourself, then continue reading. If not, then…well, you already know.

Sergeant Sagara has been killed in action. This was confirmed by several other soldiers who saw what happened. A mine exploded underneath him. No trace has been found.

Sincerely,

Captain Tessa Testerossa

---

Kaname screamed then, tears that had been buried for five months flowing anew. "SOUSUKE!" She fainted in front of her apartment, the letter crumpled in her hand.

Asaka heard her from Sousuke's old apartment across the street. He raced to her side instantly, fearing the worst.

"Oh no! Ms. Chidori! I knew I shouldn't have abandoned you for a single moment!" He grunted slightly as he tried to hold Kaname up and open her door at the same time. "Hang on… I'll get you to bed." He dragged her inside, worrying the entire way. "Sousuke would never have let this happen. He would never have let you out of his sight."

He closed and locked the door. "There. Safe, for the moment." He glanced at her. So beautiful…he could see why Sousuke was attracted to her. And from what he saw at school, she had the brains to match. "I guess I know why he left," he muttered, seating himself. "The stiff-necked idiot thought he was getting in too deep. He thought it'd make him let his guard down."

Kaname moaned, "Sousuke…" but she stayed unconscious.

"Now what happened?" Asaka wondered. Then he saw the crumpled note, remembered the scattered mail. As he scanned the page, his eyes widened. "Sousuke? It…it can't be…"

But the proof was there. Another envelope, unopened and unnoticed, from Sousuke's military unit revealed that his brother was indeed gone forever. He would never be able to joke with his brother again, never play pranks on him, never be able to laugh at his incompetence at dealing with 'normal' life. He dropped his head into his hands, combing his fingers through his short red hair.

He had dyed it a long time ago. Sousuke hadn't even recognized him, and had tried to attack him. They had had a good laugh over that incident after it was over.

Suddenly, Kaname shot up, looking around herself wildly. "Where am I?" she cried.

Asaka almost jumped out of his skin. "Whoa, lady! Calm down!"

"Where's Sousuke? Who—" Then she remembered, sinking back down. "That's right. He's…gone." She began to cry. Asaka hated it when women cried. He felt so helpless, unable to do anything.

"Don't cry! Please!" he groaned, shifting uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. "It won't help him any. It's too late."

She sniffled. "How can you say that? He's your brother, isn't he? Don't you have any heart in you!"

"And how can you say _that_?" Asaka shouted. "He was my brother! I cared for him very much! Don't you think I care? How do you think _I_ felt, Miss Chidori!"

Kaname started. "I…I'm sorry, Asaka. I didn't mean to be so harsh. It's just… I'm never going to see him again. It's very hard to accept that."

Asaka nodded. "I know."

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Sousuke Sagara was not dead. Far from it. When the mine had exploded, he had miraculously been thrown to the side at the last second. However, he had been wounded so severely by the resulting shrapnel that he hadn't been able to call out to his friends. As the darkness closed in on him, all he could think of was Kaname.

_Why did I ever leave her…?_ he thought. Then there was nothing. Sousuke Sagara was alive, but nobody knew it. And if nobody knew, there was no one to rescue him…

**There we go! The very first chapter. O-o Five pages… I'm impressed. That's one of my longer chapters. I know Sousuke's a bit OOC, because normally he'd be too thick-skulled to realize his own feelings, much less Kaname's, but otherwise there'd be no story. **

**Please review this! I need to know people are reading it so I can update! I won't update until I get at least fifteen reviews! Or ten…I'm not picky. But I need to know how I'm doing, OK? So when you read, review. But no flaming, or I'll send Sousuke after you! Muahahahahahahahahahahaha! **


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